U.S. election officials face disruption from Trump mail-voting push

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Trump mail-voting disruption

Highlights

The Department of Justice petitions the Supreme Court to bypass lower courts blocking a March executive order restricting postal ballots, as 23 states challenge the directive.
A federal whistleblower warns of potentially catastrophic technical problems with the new postal voting system, alleging the U.S. Postal Service may have violated a judge's order to stop certain work.
The administration expands federal election oversight, with the Justice Department deploying 1,000 monitors and warning all 50 states of possible criminal prosecution for counting ballots cast by non-citizens.

Legal battle intensifies as ballot mailing begins

As first reported by Financial Times, the Department of Justice on Thursday asks the Supreme Court to bypass lower courts that have blocked a March executive order limiting postal ballots to names on newly created voter lists.

The Supreme Court last month says an initial legal challenge to the order is premature, allowing it to take temporary effect without ruling on its legality. Since then, 23 states and voting rights groups launch new challenges and again block the directive, while the court gives challengers until Tuesday to respond even as some voters are already set to receive mail ballots.

Critics say the overlapping court fights and U.S. Postal Service regulations leave election administrators in legal limbo just weeks before the vote. Tobias Read, Oregon's Democratic secretary of state, says the president is seeking to create confusion and sow doubt about any election result he does not like.

David Becker, a former Justice Department voting rights lawyer who leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, says the administration appears intent on creating a perception of chaos around the election process. Tammy Patrick of the National Association of Election Officials says nothing changes immediately because the new rule is not in effect, but adds that any implementation would have real implications for access to mail-in voting.

States split as broader federal oversight expands

A federal whistleblower on Sunday warns of potentially catastrophic technical problems in the postal system created to comply with Trump's order, saying they could derail the midterms by causing major disruptions in ballot delivery. The whistleblower also alleges the postal service may have violated a court order by continuing work after a judge says it must stop, although a postal spokesperson denies violating any order and says the agency is reviewing the concerns.

North Carolina, which sends out its first mail-in ballots on Friday, says it remains confident its absentee ballot rollout will proceed on time and smoothly. The state says it does not want to comment on hypothetical scenarios but will comply with any court decisions if necessary.

Not all states oppose the president's effort. Twelve Republican-led states, including Florida, join a case in Trump's defense, and Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd says his state has spent decades building safeguards to strengthen trust in elections while other states maintain looser rules.

At the same time, the administration is broadening other election oversight measures. Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, says a record 1,000 federal monitors will be deployed nationwide for the midterms, and in July she sends letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia warning top election officials of possible criminal prosecution if ballots cast by non-citizens are counted. In Oregon, Read last week issues guidance telling election workers to follow current state law unless a court decision requires immediate changes.

MAGA Inc.’s planned 2026 midterm spending push outlined how the Trump-aligned hybrid PAC could pour up to $500 million into competitive House and Senate races as the campaign enters its final stretch. Our earlier article also explained that the group’s large cash reserves and ability to accept unlimited donations for independent expenditures could make it a major force in shaping late-cycle strategy and messaging.

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